Imagine a table, not just any table, but one that extends far beyond the walls of any home. It stretches across our 16-county service area and the Qualla Boundary, reaching out to our neighbors, friends, and countless others. This is the table of community, compassion, and care — a table where there is a place… Read more »
Within the awe and majesty of the WNC mountains, there is an even deeper beauty that reveals itself when rural communities come together to feed their Neighbors. After driving two hours west of Buncombe County, I found myself at a MANNA Community Market along the Nantahala River in Topton, NC. There, I met Patty Waters, the site organizer… Read more »
WNC’s Staggering Need for Food Continues to Grow As of May 2023, a new and deeply unsettling watermark has been hit – MANNA and our Partner Network have served more people in one month than ever in the organization’s 40 year history. Over 155,000 individuals received much-needed food at a food distribution in May. Prior to 2020,… Read more »
September is Hunger Action Month. More than 100,000 people experience hunger in Western North Carolina every year. Every September, MANNA FoodBank, together with the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks, mobilize across all 50 states in an effort to bring awareness to the issue of hunger in America. Hunger Action Month is designed to… Read more »
In the summer of 2018, MANNA launched a pilot program to provide more perishable foods to communities across WNC. MANNA’s primary food distribution program operates through a dedicated network of over 200 partner nonprofit agencies serving communities across the 16-county region, but with the need for food on the rise, there are struggling communities who… Read more »
Over the last several years, MANNA has worked hard to establish fresh produce distribution methods that are proven to work. We have launched several initiatives, including MANNA Express, our volunteer driven distribution method, with wild success. Now, thanks to an important investment from Morgan Stanley Foundation and a strong network partner in Haywood County, MANNA has… Read more »
There is a strong thread connecting thousands of people together here in Western North Carolina. People of every background, age, and culture come together to achieve something very fundamental: Get real food to real people in need. We see communities come together to start a food pantry where it’s most needed, volunteers streaming into the warehouses to sort… Read more »
At MANNA FoodBank, Miracles Can Come in Unusual Packages Beyond being a food bank, where our primary focus is to get food to our 225 partner pantries to serve those in need across WNC, MANNA FoodBank is also a warm and welcoming place for those seeking assistance. The following excerpt is a story from our Chief… Read more »
The economy is bouncing back – at least, that’s what we keep hearing from employment and economic reports. But this has not translated into fewer people needing emergency food assistance. In fact, our distribution numbers here at MANNA continue to climb steadily. More people might be going back to work across the country, but North Carolinians… Read more »
Take a glimpse inside of MANNA. Learn from the Executive Directors, past and present why and how we do what we do. Have a look, spread the word.
